ed, that the
ground was covered with snow. On the 9th of September they reached the
road or path commonly taken by the Indians in crossing from the Columbia
to the Missouri; and here they learned that they might have lessened the
hardships of the mountain journey, had they laid up their canoes and
struck off to the west, before they navigated the latter river to its
furthest-point. A small creek at this station received the name of
_Traveller's Rest-creek_.

From this spot the party proceeded nearly due west, along the Indian
path; but they still experienced considerable inconvenience, from a
deficiency of provisions. On some days they killed only a few birds;
and, being obliged to turn their horses loose at night to feed, the
morning hours were frequently passed in finding and catching them. On
the 15th of August, they reached the upper parts of the river
_Koos-koos-kee_, which affords one of the most direct channels of
communication with the Columbia; but there is no timber, in its
neighbourhood, of size large enough for canoes; nor did its channel
promise an easy navigation. The travellers were consequently obliged to
continue their journey by land; and on the 19th they were cheered with
the prospect, towards the south-west, of an extensive plain, which,
though still distant, assured them of an outlet from the barren region
which they were traversing. By this time they had suffered so much from
hunger, that horse-flesh was deemed a luxury.

At last, on the 22d, having reached the plain, they found themselves
once more in an inhabited country. They explained their pacific
intentions to the people, who were Indians of a tribe called
_Chopunnish_. The removal, however, from a cold to a warm district, and,
still more, the sudden change from scarcity to an abundance of food,
proved very detrimental to the health of the men; and it was fortunate
that the most laborious part of their task was now, for a time at least,
at an end.

The river Koos-koos-kee being navigable in the place which the party had
now reached, it remained only to build the requisite canoes. The wood
was soon obtained; and such of the men as had sufficient strength for
the undertaking, worked at the canoes, during the intervals of cool
weather, and were not very long in completing them. In this part of the
country the weather was cool during an easterly wind; exactly as, on
the opposite side of the mountains, it had been in a westerly one. Their
hors